Transforming Tomorrow

The law won’t let Jan and Paul get away that easily!

Another member of Lancaster University Law School, PhD researcher Camilo Cornejo Martinez, comes into the studio with the unprompted assurance that he is not an accountant.

Camilo talks about his background as a practising lawyer in his home country of Chile; the different attitudes and approaches – legal and otherwise – to the environment and sustainability between Chile, the UK, and other countries; environmental courts; just transitions; and the rights of nature, and giving nature a voice.

Discover more about Camilo’s work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/law/people/camilo-cornejo-martinez

Episode Transcript

The law has caught up with Jan and Paul!

Dr Rafael Savva, from Lancaster University’s Law School, promises he won’t sue us, but will recording the podcast turn him into a supervillain?

Rafael talks to us about corporate governance legislation; the differences between hard and soft law – and how they apply to corporate responsibility; the potential conflicts between environmental regulation and seeking profit; the power of shareholders; socially responsible investing; and the importance of defining sustainable development in order to shape future legislation.

Discover if Paul and Jan would make good Law students – and whether Jan has any memory of her prior education in contract law.

Find out more about Rafael’s work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/law/people/rafael-savva

Episode Transcript

It’s time to talk politics! And discover the Blue Economy – and how it varies around the world.

Dr Celine Germond-Duret steps into the studio to speak with Jan and Paul to discuss how people and business connect to the coast and the sea (including fish and chip shops); why an exact definition of the blue economy is hard to find; the politics and resources of the oceans in different countries; and the balance between economics and the environment in sustainable development.

Find out more about Celine’s work here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/ppr/people/celine-germond-duret

Episode Transcript

Dr Lucy Wishart returns to tell Jan and Paul about the varied governance and structures within Scottish policy-making bodies when it comes to waste.

She reveals the changes she has seen over recent years, how policy debate has evolved and moved away from Westminister, Scotland-specific patterns and approaches – and (almost) answers the perennial question of whether you can recycle a paper envelope with a clear plastic window, or if you have to take the window out first.

Discover more about Lucy’s work here: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/management/people/la24

Episode Transcript

What is waste? It goes far beyond what we all might think.

Dr Lucy Wishart joins Jan and Paul from the University of St Andrews Business School to discuss something that is there in every action we make, but which we rarely think about.

We cover everything from discard studies to the circular economy and the difficulties in making it a reality, how we might extend the life of objects and encourage people to reuse, and the hidden labour and (physical and mental) effort needed in reusing and recycling. Plus, can there be sustainable waste?

Discover more about Lucy’s work here: https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/management/people/la24

Episode Transcript

How can fairy tales be used help people more easily understand sustainability challenges and pitfalls? Where do mermaids, vampires and witches fit in?

Dr Carolynne Lord talks to Jan and Paul about her work in making research more accessible to broader audiences; how green energy generation is like a mermaid luring businesses onto the rocks and distracting from other important issues; and why policymakers are waving garlic at vampire cars rather than brandishing stakes.

They also discuss urban sustainability transitions, and how experts need to cross boundaries to share ideas and expertise with other people working in the same area.

See more of Carolynne’s work on sustainability fairy tales, and the imagery that was created to go with the project here: https://doc.your-brochure-online.co.uk/Lancaster-University_FiftyFourDegrees_Issue_19/10/

Episode Transcript

How do entrepreneurs approach sustainability?

Brian Gregory and Salma Atcha, from the Lancaster University Entrepreneurs in Residence network, join Paul and Jan in the studio to share their experiences.

They discuss differing attitudes towards sustainability; how the Sustainable Development Goals help shape business behaviours; when entrepreneurs are no longer entrepreneurs;

Find out more about the Entrepreneurs in Residence network here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/lums/business/entrepreneurs-in-residence/

Read the article about degrowth and B-Corps by Entrepreneur in Residence Victor Giannandrea, the Pentland Centre’s Duncan Pollard, and B-Corp owner Celia Gaze here: https://doc.your-brochure-online.co.uk/Lancaster-University_FiftyFourDegrees_Issue_17/43/

Episode Transcript

What are universities doing to address sustainability challenges?

Dr Georgiana Allison, Head of Sustainability at Lancaster University, joins Jan and Paul to discuss what the home of the Pentland Centre is doing to become more sustainable. They cover everything from Lancaster’s wind and solar farms, carbon impacts, changing attitudes and behaviours, how to make an impact in the classroom and where there is hope for the future.

Plus, why are sustainability strategies like icing and cake? And has Paul found an ally against rankings and benchmarking?

Find out more about sustainability at Lancaster University here: https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/sustainability/

Jan and Paul are joined once more by Dr Jean-Baptiste Jouffray to discuss the fascinating world of sand. Without it, there would be no windows, no buildings, no electronics, no Transforming Tomorrow podcast! But what are the social and ecological impacts of sand extraction? And is our use of it sustainable?

You may have been taught the names of the world’s oceans as a child, but is there really only one?

Dr Jean-Baptiste Jouffray, of the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions, speaks to Jan and Paul from his home in Northern California. As well as busting myths on how many oceans we have on Earth, he discusses the many challenges it faces; his work across science, academia and business; the concepts of keystone actors and leverage points as a means to instigate change; and what it is really like working with Jan.

See the One ocean map, JB talks about here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/756bcae18d304a1eac140f19f4d5cb3d

Episode Transcript